


press play to live (again)

by Marvelgeek42



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Video Game World, Existential Crisis, F/M, John's self aware but has no control, Mind Control, Self Aware Video Game Character, technically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 13:35:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14058087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelgeek42/pseuds/Marvelgeek42
Summary: or: are you sure you want to restart?John’s player seemed to still be getting the hang of the controls, but after a few attempts, they managed to lead him to his destination. From what John knew, the controls were fairly standard, meaning that he was being controlled by a newbie, which was always an ambivalent thing.





	press play to live (again)

“Come on, follow me,” Amelia whispered, waving at John and the other three members of their group as she ducked and began to leave their cover behind a building to sprint her way to the next one, a blown-up car that was still smoking.

John’s player seemed to still be getting the hang of the controls, but after a few attempts, they managed to lead him to his destination. From what John knew, the controls were fairly standard, meaning that he was being controlled by a newbie, which was always an ambivalent thing.

On the one hand, they were often the most enthusiastic, those who tried hard and improved fast. It was kind of amazing to be a part of this journey.

On the other hand, those exact people made many simple mistakes that could easily be avoided, which resulted in John and the others dying and respawning more frequently, thus reliving the same things again and again.

It was doable, yes, that, however, did not mean that it was enjoyable in any sense.

“You alright?” Amelia asked as he arrived at her side. And while John knew that this was the tutorial and she had no other choice but to follow the script, he still appreciated it.

It was kind of awkward, knowing that their relationship and past was merely coded, but did that make it any less real?

John liked to think that it didn’t, because otherwise he himself wasn’t real.

* * *

Amelia’s character had been programmed to be largely fearless, while John’s was only a little bit more cautious. Which was likely why their game featured a passage of them having a picnic on the roof of a mostly destroyed -- but somehow still structurally sound -- building.

John didn’t understand  _ why  _ it was included, but it wasn’t like he had any control over anything, which was something he was doing his very best to forget.

There was an axe lying near them, which was an obvious indicator that something would happen to disturb the momentary peace.

John never thought about the end of the game, or really anything beyond the current save file. It made it feel more exciting, when he could pretend that there was something new or surprising. Due to the fact that his actions and words were either controlled or scripted, it wasn’t like it made any difference to the player, but John was self aware enough that he needed to do something to not become completely crazy.

“It’s kind of nice, to enjoy this peace, isn’t it? Even if it will only last for a moment,” John hears himself say.

Amelia snorted. “We’re still on a battlefield. There isn’t a place that’s not one, these days.”

She’s right about that, of course she is. His girlfriend is written to near forty, while John himself is in his mid-thirties -- and yet not -- it would have been hard to miss something like that for that long.

“Oh, how right you are,” someone hidden the shadows replied, but John recognized the voice.

It was one of the antagonists of their franchise, Bellatrix Lestrange. John and Amelia had defeated her before, she was likely here to get revenge. John knew the plot and could have known for certain, but he blocked that knowledge out to the best of his ability.

“What are you doing here?” Amelia asked, standing up and shifting into one of her defensive karate stances, while John got the axe.

“Watch out babe, she’s dangerous,” John reminded her.

“Aw, thank you!” Lestrange interrupted. “Look at you, being all cute. Is that a cardigan, John? Nice to see you are putting in an effort.”

“Oh shut up.” Amelia requested. She wasn’t even bothering to pretend to be scared which John loved about her.

“I didn’t know you were so rude, Amelia,” Lestrange scoffed, as if she was a parent chantizing a child.

“Bellatrix, your mouth is open. Sound is coming from it. This is never good. Now I’d like to get this over with,” Amelia added, charging forward.

Lestrange somehow managed to trip her and picked her up, and because this was a cutscene, John’s player wouldn’t even have the chance to do anything if they wanted to.

“Why don’t we see how you like sleeping with the fish? I’ve heard it’s better, down where it’s wetter,” Lestrange taunted as she threw Amelia down from the building. There was a lake down at street level that John hadn’t even noticed this time around.

John froze in place as his player paused the game.

* * *

“Come on, follow me,” Amelia whispered, waving at John and the other three members of their group as she ducked and began to leave their cover behind a building to sprint her way to the next one, a blown-up car that was still smoking.

John was the last one to arrive, but he had been directed there in a swift motion.

“You alright?” Amelia asked as he arrived at her side.

John wasn’t. He had just lost her and now she was standing right in front of her again.

This was why he hated his existence.


End file.
